In May 22 2011 a tornado hits the city of Joplin Missouri. The strength and magnitude of the tornado left a trail of destruction of 3 / 4 wide by 6 miles long, as a result, 153 die and within minutes thousands of people are homeless.
My trip to Joplin was striking. The level of destruction was such that during my five days every morning seemed like the first day again.
I was intrigued by the fact that within minutes, the familiarity of the people of Joplin with their landscape had turned into a complete inhospitable and unfamiliar zone. This is what initially pushes me to this place and I wanted to show that shift in my subjects.
As a portrait photographer I start with a clear idea of the image I want before I get to the location, and I then execute the image by using artificial lighting.
